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href=\u0022https:\/\/www.bmj.com\/sites\/default\/files\/advagg_css\/css__GkPSKUkdJ2bzIT9BLdob0bbh88SFHg9JxcNgbdHlbDc__qYTxeL-KKGqFiuvt1Pd7tJWAZkcDxAZN7jCKDHxZcE0__b2e6faiQ_UWIrIhhy-1_GBi9M1f1xMsmWzx8NA2PKwk.css\u0022 media=\u0022all\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003Clink rel=\u0027stylesheet\u0027 type=\u0027text\/css\u0027 href=\u0027\/sites\/all\/modules\/contrib\/panels\/plugins\/layouts\/onecol\/onecol.css\u0027 \/\u003E\u003C\/head\u003E\u003Cbody\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022panels-ajax-tab-panel panels-ajax-tab-panel-jnl-bmj-tab-art\u0022\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022panel-display panel-1col clearfix\u0022 \u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\u0022panel-panel panel-col\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022panel-pane pane-highwire-markup\u0022 \u003E\n \n \n \n \u003Cdiv class=\u0022pane-content\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\u0022highwire-markup\u0022\u003E\u003Cdiv xmlns=\u0022http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xhtml\u0022 id=\u0022content-block-markup\u0022 data-highwire-cite-ref-tooltip-instance=\u0022highwire_reflinks_tooltip\u0022 xmlns:xhtml=\u0022http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xhtml\u0022\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022article fulltext-view \u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022highwire-journal-article-marker-start\u0022\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022contributors\u0022\u003E\u003Col class=\u0022contributor-list\u0022 id=\u0022contrib-group-1\u0022\u003E\u003Cli class=\u0022last\u0022 id=\u0022contrib-1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022name\u0022\u003EElisabeth Mahase\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ol\u003E\u003Col class=\u0022affiliation-list\u0022\u003E\u003Cli class=\u0022aff\u0022\u003E\u003Ca id=\u0022aff-1\u0022 name=\u0022aff-1\u0022\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Caddress\u003EThe BMJ\u003C\/address\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ol\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-2\u0022\u003EAs part of its 2020 budget the UK government will extend statutory sick pay of \u00a394.25 (\u20ac108; $121) a week to include people advised to self-isolate because of covid-19 and to those caring for them.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-3\u0022\u003EThe medical evidence necessary to claim sick pay will also be relaxed in relation to covid-19, meaning that people will not require a GP\u2019s \u201cfit\u201d note. Instead, people will be able to get a notification from NHS 111 when they are advised to self-isolate, which they can use as evidence where necessary. \u201cThis notification would meet employers\u2019 need for evidence, whilst taking pressure away from general practices,\u201d the budget plan said.\u003Ca id=\u0022xref-ref-1-1\u0022 class=\u0022xref-bibr\u0022 href=\u0022#ref-1\u0022\u003E1\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-4\u0022\u003EThe budget was presented by the new chancellor of the exchequer, Rishi Sunak, who has been in post for less than a month, and set out how the government planned to tackle the impact of covid-19 on public services, individual people, and businesses. Included in the plan was \u00a35bn \u201cto ensure [that] the NHS and other public services receive the funding they need to respond to the outbreak as the situation develops, and recover and return to normal afterwards.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022section other1\u0022 id=\u0022sec-1\u0022\u003E\u003Ch2 class=\u0022\u0022\u003EUnderfunding and staffing\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-5\u0022\u003EThe Nuffield Trust\u2019s chief economist, John Appleby, said that the extra funding was \u201cgood news\u201d but that \u201cstaff and space are the resources that will really be needed, and the NHS starts in a deep hole after a decade of underfunding and understaffing.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-6\u0022\u003EHe added, \u201cWith tens of thousands of nursing posts already vacant and beds full to capacity, what can the service usefully spend this money on? The decision to keep the extra money in the Treasury for now may also mean NHS managers hold back, out of fear that they won\u2019t get what they spend refunded.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-7\u0022\u003EHe said that the government\u2019s \u201cfailure to announce any real action to overhaul social care is the elephant in the room.\u201d He explained, \u201cWe are about to rely on these threadbare services to keep thousands of vulnerable patients out of hospital\u2014and yet we still will not give them the funding and reform they have desperately needed for years. Coronavirus may serve as a reminder that inaction has consequences.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022section other2\u0022 id=\u0022sec-2\u0022\u003E\u003Ch2 class=\u0022\u0022\u003EEconomically vulnerable people\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-8\u0022\u003EFor people who cannot claim statutory sick pay, such as self-employed workers, the government has said it will provide support through the welfare system\u2014but it did not provide further details on what this would mean in practice.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-9\u0022\u003EMeanwhile, local authorities in England will receive a portion of a new \u00a3500m grant \u201cto support economically vulnerable people and households in their local area\u201d through council tax relief. The government said that it also planned to support businesses experiencing \u201cincreased costs or disruptions to their cash flow.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-10\u0022\u003EThe budget document explained,\u003Ca id=\u0022xref-ref-2-1\u0022 class=\u0022xref-bibr\u0022 href=\u0022#ref-2\u0022\u003E2\u003C\/a\u003E \u201cThis includes expanded business rates reliefs, a coronavirus business interruption loan scheme to support up to a further \u00a31bn lending to small and medium sized enterprises, a \u00a32.2bn grant scheme for small businesses, and a dedicated helpline for those who need a deferral period on their tax liabilities.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022license\u0022 id=\u0022license-1\u0022\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-1\u0022\u003EThis article is made freely available for use in accordance with BMJ\u0027s website terms and conditions for the duration of the covid-19 pandemic or until otherwise determined by BMJ. You may use, download and print the article for any lawful, non-commercial purpose (including text and data mining) provided that all copyright notices and trade marks are retained.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022ali-license-ref\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bmj.com\/coronavirus\/usage\u0022 rel=\u0022license\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/bmj.com\/coronavirus\/usage\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022section ref-list\u0022 id=\u0022ref-list-1\u0022\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EReferences\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Col class=\u0022cit-list\u0022\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca class=\u0022rev-xref-ref\u0022 href=\u0022#xref-ref-1-1\u0022 title=\u0022View reference 1 in text\u0022 id=\u0022ref-1\u0022\u003E\u21b5\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022cit ref-cit ref-web\u0022 id=\u0022cit-368.mar11_23.m1001.1\u0022\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022cit-metadata unstructured\u0022\u003ETreasury HM, Sunak R. Budget 2020: documents. 11 Mar 2020. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/publications\/budget-2020-documents\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/publications\/budget-2020-documents\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022cit-extra\u0022\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca class=\u0022rev-xref-ref\u0022 href=\u0022#xref-ref-2-1\u0022 title=\u0022View reference 2 in text\u0022 id=\u0022ref-2\u0022\u003E\u21b5\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022cit ref-cit ref-web\u0022 id=\u0022cit-368.mar11_23.m1001.2\u0022\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022cit-metadata unstructured\u0022\u003ETreasury HM, Sunak R. HC 121\u2014Budget 2020: delivering on our promises to the British people. 11 Mar 2020. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/assets.publishing.service.gov.uk\/government\/uploads\/system\/uploads\/attachment_data\/file\/871799\/Budget_2020_Web_Accessible_Complete.pdf\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/assets.publishing.service.gov.uk\/government\/uploads\/system\/uploads\/attachment_data\/file\/871799\/Budget_2020_Web_Accessible_Complete.pdf\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022cit-extra\u0022\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ol\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022highwire-journal-article-marker-end\u0022\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cspan id=\u0022related-urls\u0022\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.bmj.com\/content\/368\/bmj.m1001.abstract\u0022 class=\u0022hw-link hw-link-article-abstract\u0022\u003EView Abstract\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E \u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cscript src=\u0022https:\/\/www.bmj.com\/sites\/default\/files\/js\/js_am8GAfrhW3uXc7HVCmqF3MltMmNunvhyJ6MM_6EffRE.js\u0022\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\n\u003C\/body\u003E\u003C\/html\u003E"}